Public land gone to pot

LAKE COUNTY ? Clear Lake and Lake County are known worldwide for its excellent bass fishing. But the county also owns the dubious title as the "Marijuana Capitol of California."

For the past three years more marijuana plants have been eradicated in the county than anywhere in the state. In fact, so far this year the state, county and federal authorities have confiscated more than 500,000 plants in Lake County.

That's more than the entire state of Kentucky eradicated last year. Most of the plants were eradicated on public lands such as the Mendocino National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. According to authorities, the illegal growing of marijuana is destroying wildlife and the environment, plus making the public lands unsafe for hikers, hunters and others who enjoy the outdoors.

The illegal marijuana problem in the county was brought home to a large crowd that attended Thursday evening's special meeting of the Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee. Representatives from the Lake County Sheriff's Department, BLM and the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) presented a detailed program on just how serious the problem of marijuana gardens on public land has become.

The water required to irrigate the plants runs into the millions of gallons. It takes three to five gallons of water each day per plant. In Lake County that adds up to approximately 150,000 gallons per day for the average sized garden and there are hundreds of gardens in the county.

The amount of water used on all the plants in the county for one year would fill Lake Mendocino.

The water is obtained by damming up small creeks and springs and diverting the water to the gardens. Toxic fertilizers are added to the streams, which kills wildlife, insects and other creatures that depend on the water. Streams that once flowed year around are now dry during the summer months because the water has been diverted.

Wildlife such as birds, deer, bear, rabbits and other creatures are indiscriminately slaughtered by the growers because they interfere with the growing operations. Illegal gardens are littered with trash left by growers. Black plastic pipe is used for irrigation and then left in the forest. It is estimated that if all the black plastic pipe used in the gardens in the county were stretched out end-to-end it would run all the way from the Oregon border to Mexico.

The primary areas in the county where the marijuana gardens are found are the Mendocino National Forest with the Snow Mountain Wilderness Area, Bear Creek and Lower Nye having dozens of gardens. On the BLM lands the Cow Mountain Recreation Area has an abundance of gardens. Other BLM areas are Indian Valley Reservoir, Sheldon Creek (located on the Hopland Toll Road) and the area around Highland Springs.

Pollution of creeks and other waterways are a major problem. One of the most polluted streams is the headwaters of Scotts Creek on Cow Mountain. Water samples taken show the water is contaminated with poisons from fertilizer and pesticides and is unsafe to drink. Scotts Creek drains into Clear Lake via Rodman Slough.

A major obstacle facing authorities is how to restore the land after a garden is raided and the plants removed. Typically there are mounds of trash left in the growers camps and in the gardens. To restore the land in the gardens that BLM has raided in the Ukiah area last year is estimated to cost more than $500,000.

Along with the damage done to the environment and wildlife, the illegal growing of marijuana has resulted in denying the use of public lands to hikers, hunters, fishermen, campers and other recreational users.

Many of the growers are armed and will go to great lengths to protect their crops. According to authorities, the armed guards will often stop a person who has wandered into their garden and demand to see their driving license or other identification. They will then threaten them if they report the location of the garden to the authorities.

Member of the Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory, Dennis Reynolds said the problem is two-fold. There's the environmental damage coupled with the loss of recreational opportunities.

Reynolds presented a high-impact presentation on Thursday night that exemplified the vast damage to land, animals and quality of life in Lake County.

"The goal is to get rid of the infrastructure," Reynolds said. It will take volunteers, state, Federal and county funding and grants, he said.

The next meeting addressing this issue will take place on Jan. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Lake County Board of Supervisors Chambers, located at 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport. The forum will be open to the public.

Those with evidence of, or suspecting, active illegal marijuana grows are urged to contact the Lake County Sheriff's Office at 263-2690.